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Hindrances to Biblical Positivity

In my previous post, I think I invented a new word, a word that isn’t found in any of the dictionaries on my book shelves. (If you have a dictionary that contains this word, please let me know. I never wanted to be a word inventor anyway.) In any case, my newly invented word is "positivity". Now, I realize by inventing a new word I’m opening myself to all kinds of criticism from linguistic purists, but frankly I really don’t care because I can’t think of a better word that expresses what I want to say better than this newly invented word. I also know that it’s not a word that is actually found in the Bible, I affirm it is like the word trinity. The actual word "trinity" is not found in the Bible, but the concept clearly is. So it is with my word "positivity". The concept is clearly found in the Bible. By the word "positivity" I’m referring to an attitude that is the opposite of "negativity". I’m suggesting, as I demonstrated from Scripture in previous posts, that Christians have no reason for being murmurers (Philippians 2:14, 15), complainers, grumblers or gripers. I’m suggesting with clear biblical warrant that Christians have ample reasons for being thankful in everything, for having an attitude of "positivity" as they go through life (I Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 4:2).
Now, please don’t misunderstand me when I say that Christians should have an attitude of constant "positivity". I’m not referring to what some have called the power of positive thinking which encourages the idea that we should always look (for no substantial reason except that it makes you feel better) on the bright side, that we should without a solid basis for doing so choose to believe that everything is going to work out just fine. Nor am I talking about or recommending that we join the "word of faith" or "rhema" movement in which you verbalize something you want to happen and believe it will come to pass and "presto" or perhaps "antipresto" it will happen. After all, we’re told, words have the power to create when we really believe. God spoke and it came to pass and that means that we who are His children can also speak and if we have enough faith it will come to pass.
Well, that’s not what I mean by an attitude of "positivity". What I mean is that we need to search the Scriptures to see what our infinite, all wise, all knowing, all sovereign, all loving, all gracious God says is true and then choose to believe God’s interpretations and promises rather than the faulty, finite, limited opinions of human beings. It means that we choose to walk by faith (in God and His infallible Word) rather than by sight, by what we see with our eyes, understand with our minds, and what makes sense to our senses (2 Corinthians 5:7). It means we lean on God’s infallible understanding as revealed in Scripture rather than our own or any other person’s understanding (Proverbs 3:5,6). It doesn’t mean that we become mindless and just take a leap in the dark without any good reason to believe what we believe. No, it means we choose to believe on the basis of good authority (the authority of a God who knows everything and never lies and has revealed truth and reality to us in His Word) all of the things we’ve mentioned in previous blogs as solid reasons for having an attitude of "positivity".
Most of you reading this post probably know the name Joni Erickson Tada. She’s the woman who was severely injured many years ago when she jumped into a pond (or lake or stream – I can’t remember which) and hit an object that pretty much completely paralyzed her from the neck down. Well, recently I was reading a book she wrote (with the help of others I’m sure in that while she has some, but not much use of her hands and arms). The book was called "Secret Strength". One of the articles that caught my eye was an article entitled "Surprising" Trials. In that article Joni writes, "I just can’t get used to trials. Every time I get hit broadside with a fresh does of trouble, my first response if, Whoa! Where in the world did that come from? God picked me to handle this?
Like the other day when my van had a flat tire (she has a specially equipped van that allows her to drive). My first thought was, God, you’ve got the wrong person for this one. Remember? This is Joni – the one who’s paralyzed. I can’t exactly hop out, flip open the trunk, grab the jack and spin on a spare! Good grief, I can’t even flag down a passer-by or thumb a ride to a local gas station.
Frankly, I was surprised.
I would have thought God could have given me a trial more in keeping with my limitations. All I could do was sit helplessly in my van and wait for some kind soul to walk by and give me a hand. And wait and wait and wait.
But guess what verse kept floating to the top of my thinking? You guessed it … ‘Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you’ (I Peter 4:12, NIV).
I know I talk a lot about trials, but I don’t really think I get an unfair share of them. We all encounter adversities virtually every day of our lives. But for as many times as I’ve fallen into trials, they still come as a surprise. It seems I would have learned that lesson from reading those verses in Peter so many times. ‘Don’t be surprised … as though something strange were happening…’"
After mentioning that she is sometimes surprised by adversity that comes into her life, she goes on to ask the question: "So why do trials still come as a surprise to me?" And then she gives an answer to that question. She writes, "I’m certain it’s because I forget what I should know."
In this quote Joni Erickson Tada mentions that in spite of all the reasons she has for not being surprised when trials come, she still is surprised. And by implication she is admitting that she doesn’t always immediately respond with thanksgiving and joy. And then as an explanation for why she doesn’t immediately respond with "positivity" she states that she believes it is because she forgets what she should know. Well, of course, as we have previously noted she is right. Ultimately, we don’t go through life with an attitude of "positivity" or gratitude because we’re not at the time when trials come believing or focusing on the biblical reasons for giving thanks in everything. Instead, we’re focusing on the unpleasantness and pain that we’re experiencing. We’re looking at the circumstances through the lens of our own understanding and senses. We’re trusting our own fallible interpretation rather than God’s infallible interpretation. The result: anger, fear, discouragement, worry, depression, putting pressure on others, looking for unbiblical ways of securing release from the pain and the possibility of a lot of other unpleasant and even ungodly consequences. In diagram form it is EVENT & UNBIBLICAL INTERPRETATION OF AND UNBIBLICAL FOCUS ON AND UNBIBLICAL BELIEFS ABOUT THE EVENT = UNGODLY AND UNPLEASANT EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO THE EVENT or it is EVENT & GODLY, BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION OF AND BIBLICAL FOCUS ON AND BELIEFS ABOUT THE EVENT = THANKFULNESS , AN ATTITUDE OF "POSITIVITY".
That in general is the answer to the question, what is it that hinders us from being thankful in everything (I Thessalonians 5:18). In the next post, I want to mention other specific factors that may promote an attitude of negativity and hinder us from maintaining an attitude of "positivity.".

TURNING AWAY FROM NEGATIVITY TO *POSITIVITY

(*Is there such a word? If not, there should be, so I invented it.)

In the previous posts "Speaking the language of heaven on earth" and "Is the command of I Thessalonians 5:18 absurd or not absurd" I began to give some reasons why it is not absurd to expect that Christians should give thanks in everything. This post is a continuation of that discussion.
I've mentioned that it is not unreasonable to expect that we as Christians should give thanks in everything because of what “we know”. We looked at four truths “we know” that provide substantial reasons and motivation for practicing a life style of thanksgiving. It is my contention that when rightly understood, considered and believed these reasons along with the additional reasons I’m going to mention in this blog will inevitably promote a constant attitude of gratitude. As you read what I have to say, please keep in mind that the reasons I’m mentioning that I say should sustain a thankful attitude and practice are not exhaustive, but only partial. I encourage you to read the ones I’ve selected and then add to my list others that you’ve identified. Please list the ones you’ve identified on the comment section of my post for the blessing and the encouragement of others who may read my blog.
Please do this in that I am convinced, after long years of counseling hundreds of people and teaching counseling to hundreds of people, that many professing Christians are unhappy, disgruntled, angry, anxious, discouraged, defeated, depressed, jealous, contentious, argumentative, and extremely demanding because they have not learned to do what God commands in I Thessalonians 5:18. Still further, I am convinced that one of the reasons many of us fail to rightly glorify God (the chief end of our existence) and impact others for Christ and fail to experience personal blessing in our own lives is because we are not gripped by all of the reasons we have to give thanks in everything. Moreover, it is also my contention that focusing on these biblical reasons for thanksgiving will demolish a negative, discontented, complaining, murmuring attitude toward life and propel us into a life of joy and contentment and satisfaction that make giving of thanks in everything a reality. This, in turn will bring glory to God and blessing to us and other people.
We pick up this partial list of reasons why giving of thanks in everything is not absurd at number 5.
5. According to Romans 8:15 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that we have been adopted into the family of God and that God is our Father. In some ways being adopted into the family of God is the choicest of all our spiritual blessings. In some ways it goes beyond being justified or forgiven or redeemed. God could have done all these things for us and still not adopted us into His family and declared that now we have the right to call Him Father. And what a Father He is. The idea that God is our Father is mentioned in at least one hundred and seventy two places in the New Testament. (You’ll find these passages identified in my book, A Christian Growth and Discipleship Manual. You’ll also find information about what it means for God to be called our Father in my book Reaching the Ear of God.) To give you some idea of the kind of Father we Christians have I’m going to list a few (not all) of the phrases the Bible uses in describing our Father. I encourage you to take the time to look up the references where He is declared to be the kind of Father these phrases say He is. According to the Bible, He is our heavenly Father; He is the Father of all comfort; He is the perfect Father; He is the glorious Father; He is the Father of all mercy; He is the Father who sees in secret; He is the Father who causes His sun to rise and the rain to fall; He is the Father who rewards His children; He is the Father who feeds the birds of the air; He is the Father who arrays the lilies of the field; He is the Father who knows what you need before you even ask; He is the Father who gives good gifts to His children; He is the Father who forgives; He is the Father who is Lord of all; He is the Father who controls all the birds of the air; He is the Father whom the Jesus came to reveal; He is the Father who is like Jesus Christ; He is the Father who has a Kingdom; He is the Father who reveals Jesus Christ to us; He is the Father who is in charge of the angels; He is the Father whom the angels worship and serve; He is the Father who will not allow one of His children to be ultimately lost; He is the Father who gives the true bread out of heaven; He is the Father who draws people to Jesus Christ; He is the Father who has given a people to Jesus Christ; He is the Father who gives us eternal life; He is the Father who raises us up on the last day; He is the living Father (the Father who is life and gives life); He is the Righteous and Holy Father; He is the Father of Lights; He is the Father who doesn’t change; He is the Father who is God; etc. I say what a Father we Christians have and what a privilege to be adopted into His family. Think carefully about these truths about God as your Father because they are part of the reason why we should give thanks in everything.
6. According to Romans 8:17, 18 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that the sufferings of this present time aren’t worthy of being compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us and in us. In another place Paul informs us that we know that the trials we experience are productive in that they are producing an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison with any good things or bad things we’ve encountered in this world (2 Corinthians 4:17, 18). We know that one day He will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory (Philippians 3:21). We know that one day we will receive a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). We know that one day Christ will be fully glorified in us and we will be glorified in Him (2 Thessalonians 1:10). We know that one day we will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4). We know, as Scripture assures us, that in the ages to come God is going to show the surpassing riches (i.e., riches that surpass anything we could imagine) of His grace in kindness toward s in Christ Jesus. We know that in this world we have only a small glimpse of how rich in kindness and grace God is toward us, but in the future God is going to show us the fullness of His riches toward us. We know that these riches which become ours surpass (go beyond) anything that has been part of our experience. We know that there is no standard of measurement to which we could compare these riches; riches that will all be ours forever to enjoy; riches that go beyond anything we have ever seen or heard (I Corinthians 2:9). Think carefully about these truths about the incomparable nature of the glorious riches that we will one day receive because they are part of the reason why we should give thanks in everything.
7. According to Romans 8:28 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that God is working all things together for our ultimate good, the good which according to Romans 8:29 and 30 consists in making us more like Christ and bringing us to eternal glory. As part of the rationale for giving thanks in everything we need to remember that God’s thoughts toward us are not thoughts of evil but of good to bring us to a desired and desirable end (Jeremiah 29:11).We know that though Satan and others who fulfill his desires may mean what they do to us for evil, God who works all things according to the counsel of His own will means it for our good (Genesis 50:20).
8. According to Romans 8:31 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that God is for us and that if God is for us nothing can be against us.
9. According to Romans 8:32 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that if God did not spare His own Son from the cross or from drinking the full cup of His wrath against our sins on the cross, he will freely give us everything we need to handle the challenges of life; we know that God will not abandon us.
10. According to Romans 8:33 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that Satan nor anyone or anything else can bring a charge against us that will stand up in the court of our God.
11. According to Romans 8:34 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that Christ died for us, was raised again for us and that He now is at the right hand of God interceding for us, representing us, defending and protecting us.
11. According to Romans 8:35 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that our present sufferings can’t separate us from Christ and His love. As illustrated in one section of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Satan wants to use the difficulties we experience in life to cause us to question His love for us and drive us from Christ. However, when rightly considered they do no such thing. Instead they drive us to Christ who in the midst of our sufferings proves Himself to be our sympathetic, dedicated, faithful refuge and strength, our ever present companion and sustainer who shows compassion and concern and provides the grace we need to press on toward the mark of our high calling in Christ. It is in the context of difficulty that we experience in a new and fresh way the comfort of the One who is the good shepherd of His people. It is in the context of difficulty that Christ restores our souls, leads us beside the still waters, uses His rod and staff to sustain us in the valley experiences of life, provides for us even when attacked by enemies, heals our wounds, causes our cup of blessing to run over, showers us with His goodness and mercy and gives us assurance of our final destination – living in the very immediate presence of God..
12. According to Romans 8:37 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that we can overcome whatever comes our way through Christ who loves us. We know that we can handle anything that comes our way because He has promised to give us the strength we need; He has promised that His grace will be sufficient; that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9 – 10; Isaiah 41:10). Think carefully about these truths I’ve mentioned in this post; let them grab hold of your heart and let them motivate you to give thanks in everything.
You can have a life that brings maximum glory to God; you can have a life that makes a maximum impact for Christ on others; you can have a life that will bring maximum joy to you. But if you want that to be true of you, you must make it a practice to regularly reflect on the biblical reasons you have for giving thanks in everything and then you must on a daily basis train yourself to do it by actually opening your mouth and telling others of God’s goodness to you.
Next time: what is it that hinders us from giving thanks in everything? I welcome you to put any of your suggestions in the comments section of this blog.

No, it's not absurd because...

At the end of my last blog, I mentioned that the general reason being thankful in everything (I Thessalonians 5:18) is not an absurd command is found in two words. I also stated that I would in the next blog explain what that reason is. The two words that explain why it is not absurd for Christians to give thanks in everything are the words “we know”. I.E., it is not unreasonable for us to go through life with an attitude of gratitude because of what “we know”.

There is a great hymn that reminds us of the fact that there is much we don’t now know about how blessed we are. One of the verses goes like this, “When we stand with Christ in glory, looking o’er life’s finished story, then Lord shall we fully know, not ‘til then how much we owe.” No doubt the hymn writer was right. Until we get to heaven we won’t fully know how blessed we are and how much we really do owe. However, in spite of the fact that we will not know fully until then how much we owe, Scripture does mention an abundance of things we can know right now that make doing what I Thessalonians 5:18 commands the only reasonable thing for Christians. In the next few blogs I want to mention some of the things we know right here and now that turn this command which at first glance may seem absurd into not absurd, but rather the only sensible thing to do.

1. According to 2 Cor. 8:9 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He, as the second person of the Godhead, was infinitely rich for our sake became poor (he laid aside the independent exercise of His Divine attributes, took upon Himself the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the excruciating, humbling, undeserved death of the cross) in order that we might become rich (in the future as we enter into heaven and enjoy all the incomprehensible privileges thereof; but even right now as we presently experience the riches of His grace – forgiveness, mercy, deliverance from the penalty and controlling power of sin, joy, peace, meaning in life, fellowship with God, hope for the future, etc.). Think on these things my friends because they provide part of the rationale for giving thanks in everything.

2. According to 2 Timothy 1:12 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know whom we have believed and are convinced that He is able to keep what we have entrusted (our soul’s well being) to Him until that day (the day of His return or our departure for heaven). I.E, we will make it in spite of our difficulties because He is keeping us. He has begun a good work in us and He will not quit until He finishes it in us. He’s not going to take us half way there and then drop or abandon us. Nothing or no one will pluck us out of His hands. Jesus Christ will lose none of those whom the Father has given to Him. Think on these things my friends because they provide part of the rationale for giving thanks in everything.

3. According to Romans 5:1 and 8:1 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work He has done for us in His life and His death on the cross we have been justified (declared righteous before God) and are now at peace with God. We were alienated from God, enemies of God because of our sin and deservedly under the curse and wrath of a holy and just God but now this God has imputed (put to our account) the righteousness of Christ to us and declared us to be righteous. He has removed us from being under His condemnation and brought us into His favor. He has taken our sin and imputed it to Jesus and taken His righteousness and put it to our account and because of this great transaction He now sees us united to His righteous Son. As a result, He could no more condemn us than He could condemn His own altogether righteous Son. Think on these things my friends because they provide part of the rationale for giving thanks in everything.

4. According to Romans 5:3 - 5 it is not unreasonable for us to give thanks in everything because we know that the tribulations God allows us to experience are intended to bring incredible benefits into our lives right here and now: 1) they are intended to produce perseverance (the spiritual muscles which are necessary for becoming steadfast, unmovable, persistent, mature, long distance runners in the race of life; they are intended to develop the qualities of determination and strength which are necessary for productivity in the Christian life), 2) proven character (internal integrity, consistency, sincerity regardless of our circumstances, an internal depth of godliness that has weathered the tests of time, an internal depth of godliness that manifests itself in godly behavior that does not have to be restrained from doing wrong or coerced into doing right from the outside), 3) a hope that does not disappoint (a positive expectant attitude that is based on the reality and experience of God’s presence, promises and power in the midst of difficulties rather than a fantasy kind of expectation of good that is based on living in a mental or experiential world of denial, evasion and unreality), and 4) a deepening experience and realization of the love of God (knowing God’s faithful, consistent, sacrificial, practical, unchanging love in the context of real life, a love that is most fully demonstrated in what he has done for us and in us through Christ, a love that compels Him to discipline us rather than coddle us, a love that is not put off by our foibles and failures, a love that motivates Him to forgive us when we act or react wrongly, a love from which nothing can separate us, a love will do the necessary hard things to us and for us that will make us more like Jesus Christ). Think on these things my friends because these things are part of the reason why giving thanks in everything is not absurd.

Well, that’s enough for today about the things we know that make giving of thanks in everything a realistic and reasonable rather than an absurd thing for us to do. In future blogs I want to enlarge on other things we know which validate the reasonableness of the command of I Thessalonians 5:18. After that I want to do two other things: one, I want to discuss some reasons why we find it difficult to actually do what is clearly the will of God for us and two I want to present some suggestions for making the giving of thanks a life style for us.

In closing I want to briefly give you my reasons for spending so much time on this subject in these blogs. I’m doing this because I believe fulfilling this command is one of the primary things that God wants from us. After all, I Thessalonians 5:18 says that it is the will of God for us. I’m doing this because I believe developing this kind of a lifestyle is one of the best ways for us to make an impact on the non-Christians with whom we associate. After all, Philippians 2:14, 15 indicate that it is only as we avoid its opposite (murmuring and disputing) that we become blameless and harmless, shine as lights among unbelievers and hold forth the Word of life. And third, I’m doing it because I believe developing a lifestyle of gratitude will be good for you. Thankful people are happy people. Unthankful people are unhappy people and they provide the context in which others are influenced toward unhappiness also. You know that from personal experience and so do I.

And here’s a suggestion (challenge, invitation) for you. Why don’t you join me in discerning a biblically based list of things (with Scripture references) which make it clear that giving thanks in everything is not an absurd thing for Christians to do? Include your thought in the comments section of my blog so that you can be a blessing to me and others.

Absurd or not Absurd? That is the Question

"Giving thanks always" (Ephesians 5:20), "overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:6), "in everything give thanks" are samplings of Scripture in which we are told how and when to give thanks.

Frequently, I have heard people react to these statements by saying that these Scriptures cannot possibly mean what they seem to mean. They say that God cannot be asking us to do what the words in them as defined by the dictionary imply. They tells us that to take them at face value would mean that God was asking us to do something that is absurd and totally unrealistic. In other words, always can't mean always and everything can't mean everything. They suggest that there must certainly be exceptions to what these verses seem to be saying.

Only this morning I had someone tell me in reference to something unpleasant that is happening in my life, "I can't see why you would have any reason to give God thanks at this time or for this occurrence." Well, is that true? Is what is happening in my life an exception to the always and everything? Are the statements in the verses I mentioned at the beginning of this blog calling on us to do something that is reasonable and therefore possible or calling on us to do something that is absurd and foolish?

According to the clear teaching of Scripture there are good reasons for taking the challenges of these passages at face value. God is not exhorting us to do something that is irrational. God's answer is that we have good reason to give thanks always and in everything. In our next blog I want to give you some of those reasons from Scripture, but meanwhile I want to encourage you to research the Scripture to discover for yourself why doing what these verses admonish is not absurd. Hint - the general answer as to why it is not absurd to follow the counsel of these and many other passages of Scripture in reference to the matter of thanksgiving is found in two words. Do you have any idea what those two words might be?

Speaking the Language of Heaven on Earth

Have you ever thought about the question of what language we'll be speaking in heaven? Yesterday, here in a church in South Africa I asked that question and to my surprise (I guess I shouldn't have been surprised given where I was, but nonethess I was) the people spontaneously responded by enthusiastically saying it will be Africaans. I'm sure they hope that's what it will be, but I think they were just kidding. However, they really do love their language and that's fine except that Carol and I can only understand or speak a couple of words in the language, but we're going to try to learn more. Fortunately for us, most of the people speak English.
But all of that about the Africaan's language aside, after asking the question and getting their response, I went on to say that I don't know what language we'll be speaking in heaven, but I do know from many passages (especially in the book of Revelation) describing what people in heaven are saying - I know that whatever language we'll be speaking in heaven will be filled with expressions of praise and thanksgiving to God and especially to the Lamb who has redeemed us by His blood from every tribe, tongue and nation. One thing for sure about the people in heaven, they won't be complaining, murmuring, griping or grumbling - only praising and giving thanks. Won't it be wonderful to be in a place and among people like that?
One other thing I know for sure is that whatever language we who have been redeemed by Christ speak on earth, it should also be filled with expressions of thanksgiving. After all, the Bible says we are to give thanks in everything (I Thessalonians 5:18); we are to overflow with thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6) and we are to give thanks always (Ephesians 5:20). Note the words describing how we are to give thanks - "in everything", "overflow" and "always". Man, that's a lot of thanksgiving. It's as if God wants thanksgiving to be a lifestyle for us. The question is: does that in any way describe our lifestyle? As an extension of this same thought, or perhaps I should say as the flip side of this thought, the Bible also says we are to "do all things without grumbling or disputing so that (we) will prove (ourselves) to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom (we) appear as lights in the world..." (Philippians 2:14 - 15). Grumbling and disputing are the flip side of thanksgiving in that people who are grumbling and complaining certainly aren't giving thanks always. The two are opposites; they can't exist in the same heart or life at the same time. For sure if we're grumbling and complaining, we are not giving thanks. And for sure, if that's what we're doing, we're not " blameless and innocent" and we're not "shining as lights in the world". In reality what we're doing is adding to the darkness and being just like the "crooked and perverse generation" all around us. Could that be one of the reasons why we as Christians seem to be making such a little impact on the needy world around us?
Well, these biblically based thoughts have convicted and challenged me. I've had to do some self examination and some repenting and confessing my sin to God. And I've made a new commitment to try to model my speech on earth after the speech of the believers who are already in heaven rather than after the speech of people who are part of the unbelieving generation around us. Will you join with me in making the same commitment? And why not start today to overflow with thanksgiving?
More about this in the future as I deal with the questions: Isn't it absurd or unrealistic to expect us to give thanks always and in everything? What hinders us from giving thanks in everything? And how can we develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving?